Absorbent articles of the above mentioned kind are intended to absorb body liquids such as urine and blood. To this end, the articles are worn close to the wearer's body and usually placed in the wearer's underwear. For the comfort of the wearer and for the most efficient use of the article, it is thus of importance that the article may adjust well to the wearer's body.
Flexible articles generally have the advantage of adapting to the user's body, since they will be easily compressible. However, flexible articles may have the disadvantage that after compression e.g. between the thighs of the user, they cannot sufficiently fill the space there between, which might result in unwanted leakage at the longitudinal edges of the article. Relatively flexible products further have a tendency that the compression will result in the article having a series of folding lines or creases.
Stiffer articles might maintain their structural integrity better than more flexible products, but may have the disadvantage of being perceived as more uncomfortable. Also, stiffer articles may, once they do become compressed, be compressed substantially along one line only, giving rise to a V-shaped article which may be subject to leakage problems similarly to more flexible products. In use, this type of product will normally fold such that, in use, the shape corresponds to an inverted V between the thighs of the user.
A known article in the form of an incontinence pad is formed in an elongate shape having parallel longitudinal edges. The longitudinal edges at the centre portion of the product are provided with an elastic material which functions so as to pull the longitudinal ends of the article towards each other, resulting in a longitudinally cup-shaped article thus intended to conform to the body of the wearer. Further, the longitudinal edges having the elastic material will extend upwardly so as to form an arc-shaped article also in a transverse direction thereof, at least at the centre portion of the article. This feature may act so as to diminish the risk of leakage of body fluids.
Although well functioning for many users, some users of the above-mentioned article report that the regions of elastic material, when absorbing body liquid, might feel humid. Further, there might be a risk of leakage at the sides of the product.
JP2002238948 describes an absorbent article such as a sanitary napkin, an incontinence pad, a panty liner or the like. The article comprises an absorbent having an upper absorber and a smaller sized lower absorber laminated to the back side of the upper absorber. Grooves are formed on the part corresponding to the lower absorber on the upper absorber. Hence, the upper absorber may be projected upwardly at the part thereof being positioned on the lower absorber. Hence, the product may form a downwardly directed arc-shape in a transverse direction thereof.
Thus, there is a need for an absorbent article, in particular an incontinence pad, which may adapt to the wearer's body and which limits the problems of humidity and/or leakage.